Bittersweet Love
by Angelwings67
Summary: When Keiko, an average high school senior falls through an ancient well she finds herself in a different world. Sesshomaru takes her in after being captured by bandits and finds she is the reincarnation of his demon mother.
1. Through the well again

_The sweet smell of cherry blossoms fill the air. The wind begins to blow leaving a chill down her spine. When she turns she is warmly comforted by strong arms. His scent is calming, but this wont last long, he has to leave. She grabs his arm not wanting to leave, tears streaming down her cheeks. He smiles and kisses her softly. There's commotion filtering in. The sound of voices as he walks in the distance. She reaches out to him...._

A school bell rings and everything fades.

Keiko starts to wake up as the bell finishes up its chime. She fell asleep through history again, maybe that's where the dream came from. She lifts her head to see where she left off in her textbook, The Feudal Era of Japan. She close the book and notice that everyone has left the room. It's 3:00pm about time to head home, she gathers her things and leaves.

Everyone is bustling around outside as they head to their clubs. Someone bumps into Keiko's arm causing her to drop her things. She bends down to pick them up but a foot stands in her way, she looks up to see Seizo staring at her. Seizo has always been the most popular girl in high school and once Keiko entered a couple years ago Seizo has been her worst enemy.

Keiko crosses her arms and sighs, "what do you want Seizo? Dont you have a freshman to torment?"

Seizo grins and flutters her hair with her hand, "And don't you have some boys to swoon over?"

Seizo had always been jealous of Keiko. She was an average girl yet all the guys adored Keiko. Seizo spends an hour every morning pretting herself up, yet the guys don't give her the light of day. Keiko pushes Seizo aside and starts to pick up all her papers scattered on the pavement. Seizo sees the opportunity and grabs a sheet from Keiko's hand. She stares at the paper and starts to laugh.

"And whose this?!?!?! HoHoHo!" she mocks Keiko.

"Give that back, its no one!" Keiko grabs the paper and tucks it away.

"So, you can have any man you want but yet the one you desire doesn't exist?" Seizo is shocked.

Keiko walks off not looking back, clutching her things tightly.

"You're Pathetic! What a loser!" Seizo screams out.

Keiko continues to walk, ignoring her cries. For some time Keiko has had dreams of a man, a man she thinks is just a part of her imagination. She stares at the sketch as she sits on some stairs. She sighs and tears up the drawing into pieces. A sudden wind picks up and Keiko smells something very familiar. She looks up and notices shes sitting in front of a shrine, she gets up and walks through the entrance. Inside the courtyard there is no one to be found, everyone seems to not be home.

"Hello?" Keiko yells, but is only replied with an echo.

Something catches her eye and she walks over to what seems like an old well, decaying and falling apart from age.

"Wow this must be hundreds of years old." Keiko whispers.

When peering down to look inside she feels a push on her back and she falls down, she covers her face screaming as she floats down and soon passes out from shock.

"I wish for money!" a bandit says, tossing a coin in his hand.

"Nah, wish for a woman." another says.

"Why would i wish for a woman when i can have money!" the first bandit argues.

A third bandit yawns as he lays down in the grass not too far off, "A woman is better than being with you two." he says.

The bandit closes his eyes, "I wish we had a young, beautiful woman!" and tosses the coin into the well.

Keiko slowly starts to wake up, moaning as her vision comes into view. A coin hits her in the back of her head, even though it is very small it still hurts. She gets up and throws the coin back, hitting the bandit in the head.

"Hey! What was that for? Hello?" She tries to see the top of the well.

The bandit looks down the well, not believing what he is seeing. "Hey! my wish came true!" he yells to his companions.

"Really? No way!" the third bandit gets up and runs over to the well so see for himself.

Keiko glares up from the bottom of the well, her arms crossed, "Can you get me out of here please?" she asks.

All three bandits look at each other and grin. Keiko raises an eyebrow, not sure what will happen. All of a sudden a net falls down and traps Keiko. She struggles as the net pulls her out of the well and onto the soft grass.

"Hey, what the hell! let me go!" Keiko kicks and screams as they drag her along.

The three bandits look at her and wonder, "Hmm, shes wearing weird clothes." one says.

"What are these?" another says poking at her skirt with a stick.

All three bandits laugh as they poke at her. Keiko begins to sweat wishing she had not gone through that well. Anger and fear starts to overcome her. Grinding her teeth she begins to growl, leaving the guys speechless. Everything starts to close in on Keiko, her eyes change into an amber color and her hair fades to a silver hue. A blue aura surrounds her as the bandits back off, she cuts through the net with her nails and leaps over the three men, they all stare mouths agape as she soars overhead. Once she lands she sprints off into the woods in a second, leaving the three bandits wondering what she was. They all look at each other and follow after her, weapons out.

Keiko ran for some time, not even out of breath. She looked back to make sure she wasn't being followed when...

"Ooof!" Keiko moaned.

She bumped into something, and bounced back onto the ground. She shook her head and was shocked when she saw this strange man in front of her. He had beautiful golden eyes and silver long hair. He was the man she had been dreaming of, down to the very detail in his clothing. She stares for sometime and he seems to be easily as schocked.

"Who are you?" he asks with a very deep voice.

"Um, I'm...uhh.." Keiko stumbled as the three bandits finally caught up to her.

They stop, panting and heaving from exhaustion. They look up to this strange man blocking their way, the woman they wished for sitting beside him.

"If you don't mind, we'll take the girl back." a bandit pants.

Keiko flinches not looking at them, expecting some confrontation.

The man grins, staring down at Keiko,"What would you want with a demon? I'm surprised she hasn't killed you already."

The three bandits look at each other in question, "We should be careful, look at his eyes, hes one of those masquerading demons!" a bandit whispers.

Keiko looks up at this man, "A demon?" she thought to herself.

The man steps in front of Keiko, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I suggest you leave if its a fight you want."

The third bandit steps up and pulls out his sword, the other two back away. "I wont give up a woman to some demon!"

The strange man chuckles, "Okay then!"

He leaps forward pulling out his sword. The bandit's head is cut clean, blood spewing everywhere and all over Keiko. The head rolls to the two bandits. The body twitches for a couple seconds, then falls down lifeless. The two men cry out and run off as fast as they can, leaving the body of their fallen friend. The strange man cleans his sword and returns it to his waist. Keiko stares, not sure what just happened. Blood trickled down her face as she realizes where she is. The man walks up to her staring.

"Do you want to get cleaned up?" he asks

Keiko seems out of it, "Huh?"

He smiled then gave her his hand. "That blood will attract lesser demons soon. There's a hot spring not too far from here if you want to wash up." Keiko takes his hand and follows him down into the woods.

As they walk to this hot spring Keiko kept wondering who this man was and why he saved her, how did she get here? These questions start to eat away at her and she stops.

"Who are you? Why did you save me?" she asks.

He stops and turns to Keiko, "My name is Sesshomaru, i am a demon lord. I saved your life because you are also a demon with blood as strong as mine."

Keiko looked up at him clenching her fists. "How did i become a demon? i have always been human!" She then looked at Sesshomaru's clothes and noticed the time she was in. "It must be the well..." she said.

"So, you are from Tokyo then, you came through the bone eaters well." Sesshomaru says.

"Bone eaters well?" Keiko asks.

"You have some connection to this time, that's the only reason you went through the well, you must be a reincarnation of a demon that's the only explanation."

Keiko stared off, taking this all in. "Anyways, the hot spring isn't too far off, lets go." Sesshomaru begins walking again.

When they reached the hot spring Keiko's eyes beamed, it was a beautiful setting! She walks up to the water and sighs, the water is a perfect temperature.

"You can be on that side, i'll be on this side." Sesshomaru points.

In the middle of the pool is a large rock separating the two sides, giving them privacy. Sesshomaru begins to strip, putting his clothes near a tree. Keiko blushes and turns around, trying not to look. When she hears him enter the water she relaxes and starts to take off her shirt when she remembers that Sesshomaru is behind her.

"I wont look." he said, leaning on the rock. "Just get naked already and clean up, you smell of human."

Keiko quickly strips off her uniform and tip toes to the water, making sure that Sesshomaru kept his eyes closed, then jumps in.

"Ahhh" she croons as she submerges in the water. The blood turns red as it washes off her skin.

Keiko starts to wash out her hair and face, "Whats next, where we heading to?" she asks.

"I have a small castle beyond this forest, you can stay there if you like or go home to the well."

Keiko thinks about returning home, but then thinks about this days events and school and changes her mind. Sesshomaru begins to get out of the water, not caring that Keiko may see. She turns her head and blushes.

"Dont tell me you're that shy." Sesshomaru turns to Keiko, she looks at him and notices that his left arm is missing.

"What happened to your arm?" she points and the stub that was Sesshomaru's left arm.

He looks at it and sighs, "A defeat in battle with my half human brother." Sesshomaru groans.

He begins to dress and hands Keiko a kimono, "Wear this, your clothes smell and you'll get better clothes when we get to my castle." Keiko takes the kimono and they continue on their way.

After about 5 minutes Keiko begins to get cold. It has gotten dark already and the wind has picked up, causing goose bumps to rise on her arms and her nipples to show. Sesshomaru looks at her and notices.

"We'll be there soon, just past these trees, i will have Jaken bring you to a room. Rin will have dinner ready after that."

Keiko begins to shiver when she saw the castle behind the trees. It was a fairly small castle but big for a home. A small toad demon greets them as they enter the castle, this must be Jaken.

"Can you please suite Keiko-san with a room Jaken?" Sesshomaru asks.

"Yes lord Sesshomaru, this way." Keiko follows after Jaken down the hallway to a small spacious room.

The room is near the garden, giving off the smell of wild flowers. A small mat is placed in the middle with blankets and a head rest, a dresser near the wall with a mirrors not too far and some out fits are placed aside.

"These are lord Sesshomaru's old clothes, dinner will be served shortly." Jaken bows and walks out, closing the door behind him.

Keiko sorts through the clothes picking out a lovely kimono with cherry blossom pattern on it. she pulls up a Kakama and ties the himo tightly up on her waist. She looks at herself in the mirror and notices how shes changed, she can barely recognize herself. She ties her hair up with a comb on the dresser and wonders how these turn of events happened to her. A knock on the door interrupts her and she turns to open the door.


	2. A meeting with Naraku

She opens the door to look at a young girl no older than 15.

"Lord Sesshomaru wants to have dinner with you, follow me." she bows and walks down the hall.

"Whats your name?" Keiko asks as they reach the dinning room.

"Rin" she replies and opens the sliding door.

A small table was set in the middle of the room. Large plates of food were set, meats, vegetables and other assorted foods. Sesshomaru sat on one side, the other was set for Keiko.

"Please sit." Sesshomaru waved his hand to the seat across from him.

Rin sat by the door, in case she was needed. Keiko looked at Sesshomaru for a minute then filled her plate, eager to eat. She had a long day and had grown very hungry. As she started to nibble on some of the food she noticed that Sesshomaru kept staring at her, not eating anything. She started to feel nervous.

"I'm sorry for staring, you look just like my mother." He then began to eat is food.

As Keiko sampled some plates of food she smiled and her eyes glowed, "Wow! this is good! mmmmm!"

Rin smiled and bowed her head, "Thank you."

Keiko then began to eat faster, she couldn't help it the food tasted so good and she was so hungry. Sesshomaru began to notice her eating and stared at her again. Keiko glared as she was stuffing beef and noodles into her mouth with chopsticks.

"What?" she mumbled.

"Nothing, you eat funny." Sesshomaru groaned and continued eating.

Keiko shrugged and finished her plate, drinking shots of warm sake in between. The rest of dinner was eaten in silence. Once they were both done they said good night and retired. Keiko stayed up for an hour and brushed her hair. As she turned her face she noticed that a mark started to form on her cheeks, one red stripe on each cheek. As she began inspecting them in the mirror she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." she said and turned to the door.

Rin walked in closing the door behind her. "I was wondering if i could brush your hair for you Lady Keiko."

Keiko smiled, "You can call me Keiko, and sure i don't mind."

Rin ran behind Keiko and began to brush her long silver hair. Keiko started to wonder why Rin was here, she was a little young to be living with a demon lord, was Sesshomaru some kind of pervert? Keiko began to cringe, Rin noticed.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Um, how did you come to live here exactly?" Keiko asked.

"Oh, yeah you're probably wondering why a human is with a demon lord." Rin started to giggle. "Well, when i was about seven years old i first met Lord Sesshomaru in the woods not too far from my village. He was injured at the time and i helped him recover. After i returned home a pack of wolves attacked my village and when i was trying to catch up to Lord Sesshomaru i was killed. He brought me back to life with Tenseiga and i followed him since, i guess he felt some pity for me and thats why he brought back my life and i owe him for that."

Keiko looked at Rin, "She must have some deep feelings for Sesshomaru." she thought to herself.

"Anyways, i better get to bed. Do you need anything?" Rin asked.

"No i'm fine, thank you Rin." Keiko stood up and followed Rin to the door.

After Rin left Keiko undressed and crawled into bed. She was exhausted so it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Not too long after she dozed off Sesshomaru entered the room and sat beside her bed. He watched as she slept, the movement of her chest when she breathed and the slight movement of her eyes as she dreamed. He never felt such feelings for anyone before, not even Rin. He sighed and brushed his hand on her cheek, she moaned slightly and turned over. Just then Jaken opened the door. Sesshomaru turned his head, annoyance on his face.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Kagura is outside she wants to speek with you." Jaken studdered.

"Very well."Sesshomaru got up and walked outside. Kagura was standing in the moonlight.

"I'm on official business." she said. "Naraku is interested in your woman." she grinned.

"He's not having her, i know what he wants and he wont get it!" Sesshomaru stood his ground.

"He just wants her for an hour, he wont keep her. I'll be back tomorrow, have her ready then." Kagura then jumped and flew off.

Sesshomaru watches as Kagura leaves. Naraku's interest in Keiko sounds saspicous, there could only be one reason he would want her and that is to use her. Sesshomaru headed back inside and retired for the night, dreading for tomorrow. Keiko woke up to a small breakfast near her bed. The small tray contained rice, vegetables, buns, and some kind of juice. She quickly dressed and began eating. She couldn't help but wonder if she was being watched in her sleep last night. Once she was done eating she leaves her room in search of Sesshomaru. The whole castle seems empty, not even Jaken is to be seen. Just when she was going to give up looking she saw Sesshomaru sitting in the garden, lost in thought. Keiko walked over to him to see what he was doing.

"Good morning." she said givng a smile.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and looked at her. "Please sit." he said.

Keiko sat down beside him. The smell of the flowers was addicting. Sesshomaru took a deep breath before he spoke. "A half demon Naraku wants to see you." he admitted.

Keiko stared, unsure who this half demon was or what he wanted. "Whose Naraku?" she asked.

"Naraku is a half demon corrupted by the shikon jewel, an artifact that imbues all creatures with great power. I'm not sure why he wants to see you, i suggest you stay alert and on your guard when around him." he turned to look at the trees blowing in the wind.

Keiko didn't like the look in Sesshomaru's eyes. She nodded her head in agreement and prepared herself for what would happen.

"Kagura, a demon incarnated from Naraku will be here soon to bring you to his castle. Don't trust her either." Sesshomaru rose and walked inside, just as he left Kagura appeared.

"Ready?" she asked walking up to Keiko, still sitting in the grass.

Keiko looked up to her, taking in her face. She turned to look at Sesshomaru but noticed he was gone. Keiko rose and nodded her head. Kagura grabbed Keiko and they flew off into the sky. Keiko held on tight not wanting to fall, the wind blew her hair back like a silvery veil. She looks ahead and sees a large castle in the distance covered by what looks like a purple haze. Her grip on Kagura tightens as the castle gets closer and closer. Once they land the miasma clears, Keiko chokes on the smell of poison, covering her mouth she follows Kagura inside. Unlike Sesshomaru's castle, Naraku's is huge and very dark and empty. Keiko keeps her guard up, keeping in mind of what Sesshomaru said. Kagura leads her to a room on the far side of the castle, she opens the door and leads Keiko inside. Naraku is on the other side of the room, sitting in a door way to a courtyard. Keiko walks up to him and sits a couple feet away, keeping her distance. Naraku then turns to her, his red eyes glowing in the moonlight.

He grins and grabs onto her chin, a long nail grazing the marking on her cheek. "You sure are the rencarnation of Sesshomaru's mother, fascinating."

Keiko growls and slaps his hand away. "Don't touch me, you smell of death."

Naraku laughs and backs away, staring at Keiko. She doesn't know what to think, what could he want with her?

"You're probably wondering why i asked you here." He says.

Keiko nods and keeps her eyes on his every move.

"Well as you know you're the reincarnation of Sesshomaru's mother and have inherited her pure demon blood, which is rare."

"What does that have to do with you wanting me here?" Keiko snarls.

"Well, i have found that your blood in addition to the shikon jewel will increase my powers."

Keiko stares at him, confused. "What?"

Naraku turns to her and throws a cloud of miasma at her face. Keiko flies backwards covering her mouth, choking on the smoke. Naraku rises and a wide grin grows on his face. All of a sudden a swarm of bugs surrounds her in the room. She doesn't know what to do, her vision starts to blur as the poison takes effect on her system. Naraku walks closer to her.

"I wouldn't mess with those bugs if i were you, they are poisonous." He starts to laugh.

Keiko starts to panic, she has no other way out. Her vision starts to black out as Naraku walks closer, then she feels a surge of adrenaline and every bone in her body feels like its breaking apart. She cries out in pain as her form changes, Naraku backs up but keeps the grin on his face.

"Yes! Yes! take your true form!" Naraku screams.

Keiko starts to snarl as her face changes into a dog's. She tears her clothes apart as she grows larger, her muscles bulging and her skin growing long white hair. Her eyes change red and she blows a hole in the castle from her extreme size. She raises her head towards the full moon and howls, the echo vibrating for miles. She looks down at Naraku and growls, he just looks up at her and smiles.

Miles away, Sesshomaru hears the howl and he knows its Keiko. "Keiko..." he runs off into the woods, Jaken following after.

Naraku sends his bugs to Keiko's face, they sting her in many places causing her to whimper. Sesshomaru flies above the trees and sees Keiko in her form only a couple miles away, he is surprised by how fast she changed.

"Jaken, get rid of Naraku's bugs and i'll take care of him and Keiko." Sesshomaru yells out.

"Yes my Lord!" Jaken replies.

Sesshomaru runs past the miasma cloud and to the courtyard where Keiko and Naraku are. Jaken's staff of two heads blows flames to where the bugs are flying and burns all of them, relieving Keiko from the poison. Sesshomaru walks up to Naraku and draws his sword.

"Let her go Naraku." Sesshomaru glares at Naraku.

Naraku grins and faces Sesshomaru. "Go ahead and take her, I've gotten what I wanted." And he vanishes in a cloud of miasma.

Keiko stops thrashing around and falls to the ground, her form slowly changing back. Sesshomaru runs up to her and checks her vitals she's alive but just barely.

"She has taken in too much poison, we have to bring her back to the castle before she dies." Sesshomaru checks her fever and she starts to sweat.

"I'll tell Rin to prepare an antidote." Jaken says and runs off to the castle.

Keiko begins to moan in pain and opens her eyes, she can just barely make out Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru…"she whispers.

"Keep quiet, you've been poisoned. I have to get you to the castle as fast as possible." He takes off his kimono and wraps Keiko in it, she just noticed that she was naked and blushed.

Sesshomaru carries Keiko in his arms and jumps off into the woods to the castle. When he arrives Rin is ready with an antidote to the poison. Sesshomaru lays Keiko down on the wooden floor and takes the antidote from Rin.

"Drink this Keiko, it will heal you and rid the poison from your body." He lifts her head and puts the small vile to her lips.

Keiko refuses at first, the weird liquid smells awful but Sesshomaru urges her to drink it and she finally gives in. Once she fully swallows it Sesshomaru carries her to her bedroom and lays her in the bed.

"Rin keep track of her temperature. She's burning up." He covers Keiko in the blanket and leaves the room.

Rin grabs a bowl of water and a cloth and keeps Keiko's head cool. Keiko starts to moan and toss in her sleep. Rin fears that Keiko may not survive the night.


End file.
